1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for separating impurities from liquids. The device comprises at least one separating container for separating the impurities from the mixture of impurities and liquid. The interior of the separating container is divided by at least one partition and at least two separating elements connected to one another are arranged sequentially in the flow direction within the separating container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such devices serve for separating liquids or solids from a carrier liquid. In particular, it is possible to perform separation of oil and water and to separate in this way oil-like contaminants from water.
Typically, so-called oil separators are of a two-stage configuration. Separation of the oil is realized by using the effect of gravity based on different densities of the substances to be separated from one another as well as by using separating elements that assist in combining small and smallest contaminant particles to larger particles that can be more easily removed than very small particles. In particular, the separating elements serve for combining finely dispersed emulsified oil droplets to larger oil droplets that will rise within water. Moreover, the separating elements act like filters and retain finely dispersed solids that do not easily settle based on the effect of gravity.
According to the prior art, two separating elements are usually arranged sequentially in the flow direction and are connected in the flow direction by tie rods. When mounting and demounting the filter elements for performing cleaning processes, such a construction is labor-intensive with regard to handling.